Grain-meter



A. STEWART. GRAIN METER.

(No Model.)

No. 403,396. Patented May 14, 1889.

qmmmy afd UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

AROIIIBALD STEWVART, OF KEOTA, IOlVA.

GRAIN-METER.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 403,396, dated May 14, 1889.

Application filed November 3, 1888. Serial No. 289,924 (No model.)

To alt whom, it may concern:

Be it known that I, ARCHIBALD STEWART, a citizen of the United States, residing at Keota, in the county of Keokuk and State of Iowa, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Grain -Meters; and I do hereby declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of the invention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same.

This invention relates to an improvement in grain meters or devices arranged in connection with an elevator for the purpose of automatically measuring or weighing the grain, the object of the invention being to improve the construction and arrangement of the measuring box and its accompanying parts; and the invention consists in the construction, arrangement, and combination of parts, substantially as will be hereinafter described, and then pointed out in the appended claims.

In the accompanying drawings, illustrating the invention, Figure 1 is a side elevation of myimproved grain-meter arranged in connection with the elevator. Fig. 2 is a vertical section of the same. Fig. 3 is a transverse vertical section on the line .70 a; of Fig. 2.

Like letters of reference designate corresponding parts throughout the different figures.

A denotes a grain-elevator used to elevate the grain. I have shown the same in the drawings in a general way and have not provided a detailed representation of the internal mechanism of the elevator, as I have thought that it would be unnecessary to go fully into the construction of this, as it does not constitute a part of my invention. may be of any suitable construction.

My invention is equally applicable for use with elevators of different kinds, and the form depicted in the drawings is by way of example merely.

B denotes the oscillating measuring-box, preferably of an oval form, and havingacentral partition, B, running lengthwise thereof and dividing the box into two substantially equal compartments. This measuring-box is pivoted by means of pivots a, that project horizontally from the sides of the same, in avertical frame, 0, which carries at its upper end a hopper, D, located above the grain-box Said elevator and immediately below the feedtrough of the elevator. Horizontal arms E E are pivoted on each side of the elevator, and are loosely pivoted or attached to the frame 0, near the upper end thereof, for the purpose of steadying the frame.

The oscillating grain-box B is provided at its upper end with an opening, and also at its lower end with an opening, which opening is in each case divided into two parts by means of the central partition, 13, so that each compartment of the grain-box has an opening at the top and an opening at the bottom. The open bottom of the hopper or chute D corresponds approximately in size with that of the upper opening in each compartment, so that the grain-box maybe caused to occupy the position shown in Fig. 1, where the hopper is coincident with the opening into one of the compartments; or it may be oscillated to occupy the position shown in Fig. 2, where the hopper is coincidentwith the opening in the other compartment. The openings in the lower ends of the grain-box are provided with covers M M, hinged to the box and adapted to open downward, as shown.

Surrounding the lower end of the frame C is a horizontal rectangular frame, J. The lower ends of each side of the frame C are provided with small rollers L L, carried by horizontal studs affixed to the frame. The bottom of the grain-box moves in close proximity to these rollers during its oscillations, and thus the covers IWI M are, when nothing holds them up, free to open downwardly by the action of gravity, and when anything does support them from beneath are kept closed. Vhen the grain-box, therefore, occupies one of its positions, one cover will be closed and the other opened. hen it occupies its other position, the cover before closed will be opened and the hitherto open cover will be closed. Thus it will be seen that these gravity-covers automatically open and close. lVhen the grain-box is in the position shown in Fig. 1, the cover M of the compartment into which grain is being fed by the feedbelt will be closed, while the other will be open. Likewise the same condition of things is seen to exist in Fig. 2, although in that figure grain is being fed into the other compartment.

G G- denote the scale beams, carrying weights G, the ends of these scale-beams be ing entered by the pivots a a, by means of which the grain-box is pivoted in the frame C. Pivoted to the scale-beams and rigidly secured to the elevator near its upper end are upright rods H H.

Horizontal bars F F are rigidly secured to the elevator at suitable points below the pivoted levers E, said bars F being bolted to the vertical rods H and carrying at their outer extremities small rollers b, adapted to enter slots or grooves 71 t', formed in the upper ends of straps I I, attached horizontally to the measuring-box on each side and inclosing the frame 0 between them and the measuringbox. The straps I I have two of these notches, indentations, or slots 1' 2' near the middle of their length. They are so positioned and the relative arrangement of the parts are so adjusted that when the rollers 11 are in two corresponding slots 1' the measuring-box will be so placed that the opening in the upper end of one of its compartments will be coincident with the hopper D, and when the box has been oscillated so that the rollers b will enter the other two corresponding slots 1', then the opening in the upper end of the other compartment of the box will come into coincidence with the hopper.

I will now proceed to describe the operation of my improved grain-measuring apparatus.

Suppose a bag has been arranged beneath the grain-box and that the grain-box occupics the position shown in Fig. 1, where grain is falling from the feed-spout into the lefthand compartment of the box, the bottom opening of which is closed by its cover M, which now rests upon the supporting-rollers L L. The box being empty, the scale-beams which are pivoted to the lower ends of the vertical rod H will overbalance the Weight of the box and push it upward, so that two of the corresponding slots 2' 'i can easily contain both the rollers 19 b on the rigid arms F. When the leftehand compartment of the measuringbox is filled, so that the weight therein balances the weight on the scale-beam, the box will drop enough to disengage the indented straps I from the rollers b, and when the box has been thus disengaged, its lower end being heavier than its upper end, it will be oscillated on its pivotal points, which oscillation will place the box in the position shownin Fig. 2, and results in throwing open the gravity-cover M of the compartment that has been filled, thus permitting the grain therein to fall out into the bag placed ready to receive it, and also will close the gravity-cover M of the other compartment and place the upper opening of said other compartment into coincidence with the lower end of the hopper, so that this other compartment will begin to fill with grain in like manner as its companion has been. Thus the operation will progress, one compartment being filled until the scale-beam is overbalanced, then the box automatically oscillating itself, thus causing the filled compartment to beemptied and the unfilled compartment to receive grain until it in turn is filled, then another oscillation with similar results, and so on. Any convenient and suitable tally device can be connected with the scale-beam toregister the number of measures of grain, whatsoever they may be, that pass through the grain-box.

With a grain-box of this construction all that the operator need. do is to supply bags or receptacles for receiving the grain which falls from the measuring-box. The measuring-box operates automatically and quickly measures and discharges its contents.

Having thus described my invention,what I claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is-

1. The combination, with the oscillating grain-box and the elevator having a feedspout, of the supporting-frame for said box, having at its upper end a hopper located directly beneath the feed-spout and directly above the oscillating box, and provided at its lower end with means for attaching a grainbox thereto, the horizontal arms movably connected to the elevator and to the box-frame, and the scale-beams, all substantially as described.

2. In a grain-meter, the combination of the frame G, the hopper D, secured within the upper end thereof, the feed-spout of the elevator, the oscillating grain-box pivoted in said frame and having a vertical partition, B, and automatically-operating doors M M, and the scale beams, substantially as de scribed.

3. The combination of the oscillating grainbox having the vertical partition and the bottom covers, M M, the supporting-frame in which said box is pivotally hung having at its lower end rollers L L, the feed-spout of the elevator, the scale-beams connected to the pivots of the grain-box and pivotally attached to rigid arms on the elevator, the pivotal arms attached to the upper end of the frame 0, and also to the elevator, and the rigid horizontal arms secured to the elevator and carrying small rollers adapted to enter notched straps on the sides of the grain-box, substantially as described.

4. In a grain-meter, the combination of the feed-spout, the supporting-frame, the hopper in the upper end of said frame beneath the feed-spout, the oscillating grain-box pivoted in the frame and having a vertical partition, B, and the gravity-doors M M, adapted to be closed by riding upon rollers L L on the supporting-frame, and the rectangular frame J, secured to the lower end of frame 0, substantially as described.

In testimony whereof I aifix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

AROHIBALD STEWART. Witnesses:

H. T. WILLIS, A. F. SCHREOKENGAST. 

